Local History 18

The Dodford Chartist Village

Who were the Chartists?

The Chartists took their name from the People's Charter of 1838 which sought political reform in Britain. This Charter called for six reforms to make a more democratic political system.

A vote for every man over 21 years of age

A secret ballot

No property qualifications to be a member of Parliament 

Payment to MPs 

Equal constituencies to obtain equal representation for the same number of electors.

Annual Parliamentary elections as a check to bribery.

Chartist Villages

The Chartist Co-operative Land Society was set up in 1845 to settle working class families on two, three or four acre plots from which it was hoped they could make a reasonable income. Five settlements were made with the last one being Great
Dodford. In 1848 the site of Dodford Priory and 273 acres of land were bought by the Chartist leader Feargus O'Connor with the hope of settling 70 families there They were welcomed to their new plots in July 1849


Times were hard for the settlers at first and eventually they were given the chance to buy their plots. The other Chartist settlements did badly as the plots were too small but Dodford thrived because they could sell to the growing Birmingham and
Black Country markets. The heavy soil was suited to growing strawberries and this became the staple crop from the 1860s to 1920.

The settlers sold other products including flowers, shallots, peas and beans. Pear and plum orchards were planted Lea & Perrins, the famous Worcestershire sauce maker, bought garlic from Dodford.


In the 1890s allotments were successfully established in Catshill where they were able to grow strawberries earlier on their lighter soil. Eventually after a brief period of success during the First World War, market gardening declined and the Chartist plots were bought as rural retreats. Better wages could be had by the settlers at the Austin factory in Longbridge and a cheap labour force of pickers disappeared as the Bromsgrve nailmaking industry declined with many workers taking new jobs at the factory.

Dodford is now a conservation area with some listed buildings including some of the Chartist cottages, one of which, Rosedean, is owned by the National Trust.



© Roy Hughes

The Monarch's Way Long Distance Footpath

The Monarch's Way is Britain's longest inland footpath at 625 miles. It is said to follow the the route taken by Kings Charles II when he was being chased my men of Oliver Cromwell's army after the Battle of Worcester in 1651. It runs from Worcester via the Midlands, Bristol, and Yeovil to Brighton from where the King escaped to France.

The path enters our area from Tardebigge, past Finstall Park, Aston Fields, Charford before entering Bromsgrove going past Bromsgrove School on the Worcester Road. Legend has it that he stayed the night at Ye Olde Black Cross public house.

The Route continues past the Waitrose store (where he is believed to have stopped to buy some Dutchy Originals biscuits) up the Kidderminster Road and through Sanders Park out to Dodford. It then contines to Fairfield, Lydiate Ash and the Waseley Hills. A full route can be seen on line on any number of websites

The footpath is waymarked with a yellow sign showing a picture of a ship, the Prince of Wales feather's and an oak tree. It is clearly shown by a series of green or red diamonds on Ordnance Survey maps.

© Roy Hughes
 

 

 

668 Birmingham Road Lydiate Ash

Anothony Tierney now (2020) lives in the bungalow at 668 Birmingham Road, a previous owner was George Cadbury junior. Next door at 666 Birmingham Road lived Georges brother Edward junior